We are often blind to our own environment because of our assumptions, framed by media, insular thinking and our own prejudices. Smart City Consulting's blog – named one of the most intriguing in the U.S. by Pew Partnership for Civic Change – hopes to show how Memphis really is and could be through alternative questions, fresh approaches and new ideas. We hope to open your eyes - and your ears - to a new way of thinking about Memphis. Send ideas and emails to tjones@smartcityconsulting.com.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

This Week On Smart City: City Quality - Public Spaces And Design

Public space is important in both cities and in buildings. We'll talk to two people who are attempting to re-imagine those public spaces both inside and out. Antony Wood is the Executive Director of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. He studies and reports on all aspects of the planning, design and construction of tall buildings. He'll tell us about the revolution that is needed in tall buildings to transform them into livable structures for the 21st century.

And we'll speak with David Dixon. David is the principal of Planning and Urban Design with Goody Clancy and Associates and we'll talk about his amazing urban design work in Miami, and what he learned about Muslim principles of design when he took his ideas to Pakistan for a project in Karachi. Smart City is a syndicated, weekly hour-long public radio talk show that takes an in-depth look at urban life: the people, places, ideas and trends that affect us all. Host Carol Coletta, president and CEO of CEOs for Cities, talks with national and international public policy experts, economists, business leaders, artists, developers, planners and others on the pulse of city life for a penetrating discussion on urban issues.

Smart City is broadcast at 6 a.m. Saturday and Sundays on WKNO-FM, but it is also webcast and podcast so you can listen to it anytime you like. For the webcast, times for the broadcast in other cities and to sign up for the podcast, visit our website.